Exploring Other Coast

Aside from being invited at a thanksgiving celebration of a friend, I went to Dahican looking for some good water time. My friends and I arrived Amihan beach camp at past 8 o'clock in the evening. It's a 4-hour trip from Davao City, so after a short introduction with the locals, we immediately went off to our tents to have a good night sleep.  

The following morning, I woke up 0n a stunning white sand coastline, with coconut trees along the sparkling turquoise waters of Mayo Bay facing the Pacific Ocean. After I breathed in some fresh sea breeze, I took my camera from my bag to capture the sunrise. I made a series of sunrise photos on my previous article Sunrise in Dahican. Indeed, mother nature did not disappoint me, the radiant sun cast a magnificent colors in the sky. It glowed like a sun setting. Maybe, the sun knew that I like the sunset more than the sunrise. So, he mightily displayed all the colors that I could enjoy in moment.  

The Dahican Beach

What to do during the FLAT season?

Everything is flat on the east coast but I don't want to ruin my beach time even if there are no good waves for surfing. So, I tried other water sports activities like paddling, swimming, snorkeling, wakeboarding, and skimboarding. Actually, I realized that there were a lot of other things to do for me. We were supposed to do some island hopping, and dolphins and whalesharks watching on our last day but the weather turned bad. It was a bit of a disappointment for us but it didn't break my spirit since I had been enjoying the company of my green fin friends every morning. An Olive Ridley turtle always showed up while I was snorkeling and, one time, a huge Hawksbill appeared. 

And of course, my stay in Dahican will not be complete without trying to ride on a skim board. Dahican is known to have the best skimboarding beach in the country and it's the place where the best skimboarders are. They are a group called Amihan sa Dahican - Amihan, a Visayan word, roughly translated to "sea breeze". I met Kuya Jun, who is the team founder and father figure. He and the rest of Amihan boys are so accommodating and really down-to-earth. Even my instructor, Sonny Boy "Bayogyog" Aporbo, the two-time winner of International Skimboarding Competition and the Asia's Best Skimboarder was so kind to teach me the basics. Bayogyog or Yogei is only 19 years old yet his commitment and determination to his passion is so extraordinary. The group practice their amazing tricks in the water daily.  

Yogei doing a frontside liner.

Yogei doing an aerial.

Yogei doing a headstand.

Yogei shows off a trick that I felt like a magician's assistant with an apple on my head! 

Faye and Zarina with the Amihans.

Posing with the future world's best skimboarders. 

I am also amazed on the solidarity and discipline of team Amihan sa Dahican in taking care of each other and of the environment. In one of our conversations with Kuya Jun, he shared about what they do -- they train hard, take care of their body and the marine wildlife. It is really a delight to see a clean beach and crystal clear water. That is why their beach is a fave place for Pawikan turtles to lay and hatch their eggs and also they have a sense of trust to the Amihan group that they will take care of their youngs.

A Day of Celebration

My friend, Journeying James, was so fortunate to be able to buy a property in a nearby area. It was a day of thanksgiving for him and his family. The locals and some of his friends from all over the Philippines joined the celebration. After a sumptuous lunch, we enjoyed a lazy afternoon chatting with newfound friends under his round tiki hut.

James with his family and mentor

 L to R: Jeff, Faye, James, Me (holding a crunchy & yummy lechon skin. hehe), Za and Shammy.

L to R: Lang, Hack, Faye and Yogei shared me their smiles for the camera.

All in all, my trip is yet another discovery, not only of a breathtaking landscape but also of the amazingly friendly people that I've met. I must say that Dahican beach is not only a haven for skimmers and surfers, but it is for all living things who loves the ocean. 

'til the next Amihan...sea turtles, sea cows, whalesharks and dolphins, see you! 

Coral Wind Chime

Crafty mood is on! I had a rainy day and done with the accounting books that I'd been working since Friday. So, my idea of relaxation this afternoon was to create a wind chime for my beach inspired cottage. 

These coral fingers have been sitting on the table for two months since my last visit to the white island beaches of Sorsogon. Actually, I started working on these pieces into a nice and useful decor as soon as I came back from my trip. However, my materials were not complete so the project was postponed. This time though, I have all the materials with me...So, I started on it right away and had it done by the end of the day. 

Materials: Coral fingers (39 pcs), round-shaped base, twine and scissors

I begin threading the corals using the twine. After each coral, I tie a double knot to secure it's placement onto the cord. Approximately, the distance in between each coral is about 4 inches. With the 39 pieces coral fingers, I was able to make six cords. After all the threading part, I create a loop to hang my wind chime from.

                     

Wind chimes provide beautiful sounds and create beautiful decorations. Now, it is time to hang my simple coral wind chime and enjoy it's calming wind song on my deck. 

Project Complete! ;)

Stoked Days

What is a coastal life blog without water sports activity, huh? Well, finally, after several months of an on and off surfing lessons, my friends were kind enough to take some pictures of me while riding the waves in our playground. Take a peek in my stoked days just last week…

Got a ride up to the shore, yey! ;)

A priceless smile of a newbie. ;)

Moon rise pose... need to take the shot. :D 

It was a fun weekend even with a mushy waves. As a beginner, I am not choosy on the kind of waves I must say...if there's a swell, I ride! However, I am also studying the waves and all the important points in surfing. What I like in surfing is that, every wave is a challenge, Mother Nature is your playmate. So, you really have to respect whatever wave she'll give to you. And our only control is how we will take and ride it. That is why, surfing is a lifelong process of learning, cultivating your skill and having fun at the same time.

It always feels good when I go out of the water. I feel charged up, and definitely, will have good days for the rest of the week. So, I hope everyone will have a great week as well. See you around!